In this blog we are going to tell you about Difference Between Sugars and Carbohydrates, so read this blog carefully to get the complete information.
Food is very important as it provides energy to the body. There are several nutrients present in the food which serve to nourish or build tissues or provide energy when consumed by the body. These nutrients may include carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Carbohydrates are one of the most important components needed by the body and sugar is a type of carbohydrate. However, most people get confused with these two terms. Continue reading the article as we will tell you more about carbohydrates and sugar along with the major differences between carbohydrates and sugar.
What are Sugars?
Sugar is a type of simple carbohydrate which dissolves in water and provides it with a sweet taste. Sugars generally include monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polyols. Monosaccharides are single saccharides and there are four types of monosaccharides including glucose, fructose, galactose, and xylose. Disaccharides include sucrose, maltose, lactose, and trehalose. Polyols include sorbitol and mannitol. Sugar is present in various fruits, vegetables, and milk. The most notable thing about sugar is that it can raise the blood glucose level quickly. However, the recommended level of sugar is less than 70 grams per day for men and less than 50 grams per day for women. Sugars are white crystalline substances in physical appearance and they provide a sweet taste. It is present in commonly used substances such as table sugar, fruit juice, brown sugar yoga molasses, and honey.
What are Carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates are biomolecules that are made up of carbon hydrogen and oxygen. The main function of carbohydrates is that it works as the main energy source for the body. Carbohydrates are divided into two main categories that are simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Both of these differ in their structure and how quickly they are digested and absorbed by the body. For instance, some carbohydrates like sugar, alcohol, and insoluble fiber are not digested into glucose. Besides, simple carbohydrates are also known as sugars which are easily dissolved in water. These sugars include monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polyols. In contrast to this, complex carbohydrates are polysaccharides which means a long chain of saccharides. Complex carbohydrates are stored in two forms that are starch in plants and glycogen in animals. In addition to this, the main forms of structural complex carbohydrates also include cellulose in plants and chitin in arthropods.
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Major Differences between Sugar and Carbohydrates
The following are the major differences between sugars and carbohydrates as provided below:
- Meaning
The main difference between carbohydrates and sugar lies in their meaning. Carbohydrate refers to any group of organic compounds that consists of carbon hydrogen and oxygen in the ratio of 1:2:1. So the general formula for carbohydrates is Cn(H2O)n. On the other hand, Sugar refers to the sweet-tasting and soluble carbohydrates which are mainly present in food.
- Type
Another common difference between carbohydrates and sugar is that carbohydrates are mainly of two types that are simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates while sugars are a type of simple carbohydrates. Moreover, simple carbohydrates can be monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polyols whereas complex carbohydrates are polysaccharides.
- Taste
You can identify the difference between carbohydrates and sugars by their taste as complex carbohydrates do not have any taste whereas sugars which are simple carbohydrates have a sweet taste that it provides on dissolving in water.
- Solubility in Water
Complex carbohydrates do not dissolve in water while simple carbohydrates, that is sugar, dissolve in water.
- Use
Complex carbohydrates form structures and serve as the storage form of carbohydrates whereas sugars are mainly involved in metabolism. So both carbohydrates and sugars have different uses.
Similarities between Carbohydrate and Sugar
Besides having differences, there are several similarities between carbohydrates and sugar which are as follows:
- Carbohydrates and sugar are two compounds that are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
- The three types of basic units of Carbohydrates and sugar are glucose-fructose and galactose.
- Various combinations of these monomers made different types of Carbohydrates and sugar.
- Both of them serve as one of the three types of macronutrients that provide energy to the body and thus they both are important components of the diet.
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The bottom line
So overall, carbohydrates are one of the three types of macronutrients that are very important for producing energy in the body. Carbohydrates are two types that are simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are also known as sugars because they dissolve in water and give them a sweet taste. On the other hand, complex carbohydrates like starch do not dissolve in water and they do not give a taste. So the main difference between carbohydrates and sugar is the complexity and sugar is a type of carbohydrate. We hope that you found this article helpful and now you have got the differences between carbohydrates and sugar.
Conclusion
We Hope this blog is sufficient enough to provide the information about Difference Between Sugars and Carbohydrates. Thanks for reading this blog.